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Life at Bloomreach

Meet the Team: Engineering Manager Yixiao Lin

By Anna Petrescu

12/13/2021


Welcome back to our Meet the Team Q&A series, where we feature interviews with Bloomreachers to give prospective job applicants a better understanding of what it's like to be part of the Bloomreach team. Our first interview of the series was with Staff Engineer Scott Powers. Then we spoke with Solution Architect and Sales Engineer William Borg Barthet about his roles with Bloomreach. 

Yixiao Lin is an Engineering Manager, and he’s been with Bloomreach since July 2019. We spoke with him about his experience with the company to give prospective candidates a chance to better understand what it’s like being part of our engineering team.

Looking back, what made you join us?

I thought that the technology looked amazing, and the role was definitely a great learning opportunity. I also thought that the direction the business was headed in looked promising. 

What does a typical day of an Engineering Manager look like at Bloomreach?

I don’t think I’m a great example of a “typical” engineer at Bloomreach: I end up working a lot with our global teams, so my work day is very unorthodox. Working hours vary every day as sometimes I have to be in late night meetings with people across the globe. 

I usually start my day by reviewing my upcoming meetings and preparing for them. Proper preparation ensures better productivity during the meetings! Later on, I spend some time checking my emails to see if there’s anything urgent that needs to be addressed, then I prioritize my tasks and get them done one by one.

During the pandemic, I started a habit of organizing a Zoom session for anyone interested in having lunch together (I like to give my family a break from eating with me!). It helps me catch up with the team in a less formal environment, and almost resembles the times back in the office when we’d have lunch together. 

After lunch, I usually end up interviewing new candidates, going through my one-on-ones, and joining deep-dive tech sessions with other engineers. I then take a longer break and join back online at around 8PM to code or meet with the teams in India.

What do you think is the most rewarding part of your role?

Definitely the opportunity to learn and grow. I have learned so much here — not only from the tech perspective (working with big data, search, machine learning, etc.), but also from the perspective of soft skills (effective communication, triaging and prioritization, how to understand and deliver on customers' needs, etc.). 

What would you say is your favorite thing about working for Bloomreach?

The company culture is great. We care about each other and we work together as a team. Keeping a good culture as we grow is essential to keeping people happy and productive.

What would you say is the coolest story involving your team?

Before the pandemic, we used to go on hikes and play ping pong and work out together pretty much every day. Nowadays, we do gaming events on the weekends. We play a lot of PubG and StarCraft II — we even have a Slack channel dedicated to it! 

In three words, how would you describe the culture at Bloomreach?

Independent, collaborative, and cool. 

What advice would you give to a future candidate who’s looking at joining your team?

Probably the most important thing is to be willing to learn: the tech stack can be pretty confusing — you need to have an open mind to learn how to use it.

Then, always put the team first, but also ask for help when you need it — people will always be there for you at Bloomreach. 

How do you effectively manage and lead a remote team?

The first thing is being goal oriented. When we have meetings, we always have our goal in mind and do our best to make the most efficient use of our time. 

We have to be a bit more creative and adaptive when it comes to finding ways to connect with other people. This means hosting things like virtual lunch sessions, video gaming sessions, and hikes. 

You also don’t want to put too much on people’s plates — they still have to do the work they’re already working on without burning out. 

Outside of Bloomreach, what are you passionate about? 

I'm currently into investing (real estate and stock market), I love gaming (PubG, LoL, Apex Legends), and I also try to stay active with sports (basketball, hiking, snowboarding, and snorkeling).

Interested in joining Bloomreach? We’re currently hiring! Visit our careers page to check out the open roles. 

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Anna Petrescu

Recruitment Brand Manager

Anna works with Bloomreach professionals to drive campaigns focused on employer branding and wellbeing. As a brand manager, with a focus on sustainability, she specializes in projects that bring positive impact on various communities.

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